This Week in Startups

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://linkedin.com/angelpod Mantle. The AI-powered equity management platform designed for modern founders and operators. Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist. * Todays show: Jason Calacanis welcomes Churchill Asset Management’s Raja Doddala to the show to discuss startups and the VC market in 2024. They dive into the competitiveness in pre-seed, seed, and series A (10:40), portfolio construction (30:24), the future of the vc industry (50:59), and much more! * Timestamps: (00:00) Jason welcomes Churchill Asset Management’s Raja Doddala to the show (1:52) Trends in pre-seed and seed deal values (9:19) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod (10:40) Competitiveness and predictability in pre-seed, seed, and series A (21:28) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST (22:46) Trends in exit values (29:19) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist (30:24) Exploring portfolio architecture and the difference between mega funds and smaller funds (50:59) Prospects in the vc over the next few years and the rise of the next generation (59:26) The role of secondary sales in venture capital and importance of liquidity for VC funds * Check out: Churchill Asset Management - https://www.churchillam.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Raja X: https://twitter.com/rdoddala LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajadoddala * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:19) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://linkedin.com/angelpod (21:28) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST (29:19) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist Uizard. Struggling to transform innovative ideas into concrete product designs? Uizard can help you turn your visions into polished UI designs in a fraction of the time, while enhancing collaboration across your entire team. Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at uizard.io/twist Experimentation is how generation-defining companies win. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit geteppo.com/twist * Todays show: Jason welcomes Melengo's Justin Kwong to the show to discuss how his company simplifies the process of developing, financing, and scaling apparel lines for brands and creators. The two dive into Melengo’s business model, initial customers, fundraising, and much more (1:49). Then, Jason breaks down his A.D.D. framework, designed to enhance efficiency and focus within companies (36:50)! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason kicks off the show (1:48) Justin Kwong from Melengo joins Jason (4:38) Justin demos Melengo and its use cases (9:45) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (10:37) Melengo’s business model, initial customers, and fundraising (22:19) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist (23:26) Building Melengo's team and the next steps for finding product-market-fit (36:50) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit geteppo.com/twist (37:50) Jason’s A.D.D. framework (Automate, Deprecate, Delegate) * Check out: Melengo - https://www.melengo.com A.D.D. Framework - https://calacanis.substack.com/p/startup-productivity-in-the-age-of LAUNCH Accelerator - https://launchaccelerator.co Founder University - https://www.founder.university The Syndicate - https://thesyndicate.com * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Justin: X: https://twitter.com/jkwong LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinckwong * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:45) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (22:19) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://uizard.io/twist (36:50) Eppo. Accelerate your experimentation velocity with Eppo. Visit geteppo.com/twist * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Lemon.io. Need to speed up your product development without draining your budget? Hire vetted engineers from Europe at lemon.io. Go to Lemon.io/twist to get 15% off for the first 4 weeks! OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://www.openphone.com/twist Looking to up your marketing game? Check out the podcast: Marketing Against the Grain. Hosted by: Hubspot CMO Kipp Bodnar and Zapier CMO Kieran Flannigan. They bring you the latest in marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation. Available on all your favorite podcast apps. https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW * Todays show: Sunny demos the lightning speed of Groq (4:10), the new model Opus from Claude 3 (5:38), Mistral (35:26), EMO by Ali Baba (45:21), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Sunny joins Jason for this week’s AI demos! (1:19) Details on Definitive Intelligence being acquired by Groq. (4:10) Sunny demos the lightning speed of Groq. (5:38) Sunny demos the new model Opus from Claude 3 and it’s prompt library. (8:52) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (10:12) Claude helps interpret Ikea instructions. (19:18) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist (20:35) Looking at the use of “guardrails” in LLMs. (28:59) Marketing Against the Grain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIE8hmH0fLM* https://lnk.to/h3vKHnTW (35:26) Sunny demos Mistral (38:53) Sunny demos Groq Playground and creates a framework for a study plan. (45:21) Sunny demos EMO by Ali Baba. * LINKS: Anthropic Claude 3: https://console.anthropic.com/ Prompt Library: https://docs.anthropic.com/claude/prompt-library Mistral: https://chat.mistral.ai/ Groq Playground: groq.com/console.groq.com EMO by Ali Baba: https://humanaigc.github.io/emote-portrait-alive/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Sunny: Twitter: https://twitter.com/sundeep LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundeepm/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (8:52) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (19:18) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist (28:59) Marketing Against the Grain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIE8hmH0fLM* * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to LinkedIn.com/TWIST to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC. * Todays show: Josh Mohrer, the solo founder building Wave App joins Jason. The two dive into Josh’s time during the early Uber NY days (1:17), solo entrepreneurship in tech (19:59), and more! Josh then showcases the Wave App in action (27:10) and delves into its intricate development journey (32:26). * Timestamps: (0:00) Josh Mohrer joins Jason (1:17) Early Uber NY days, Travis Kalanick's leadership, and Uber NY's regulatory challenges (12:42) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist (19:59) Solo entrepreneurship in tech, enabled by AI advancements (26:15) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist (27:10) Josh demos Wave App and delves into its development journey (40:45) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist (41:39) Future of work, AI in daily life, and generational tech shifts * Check out: https://waveapp.ai * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Josh: X: https://twitter.com/joshmohrer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshmohrer * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (12:42) LinkedIn Jobs - Post your first job for free at https://linkedin.com/twist (26:15) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist (40:45) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at http://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Wistia. All-in-one video platform for business, with tools that help you create, manage, and measure the impact of your videos. Try Wistia for free at http://www.wistia.com/startups CLA. Innovation takes balance. CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors can help you get from startup to where you want to end up. Get started now at http://www.CLAconnect.com/tech Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://www.Lemon.io/twist * Todays show: Jason is joined by sweetgreens’ Jonathan Neman to discuss: the x-factor that makes a strong manager (7:36). deciding between the franchise model vs owned and operated (16:02), robotics in the restaurant industry (24:23), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jonathan joins Jason. (2:30) The scale and innovation of sweetgreen today (7:36) The x-factor that makes a strong manager (10:05) Wistia -  Try Wistia for free at http://www.wistia.com/startups (12:31) The “Sweetlife” and the importance of “polishing forks” (16:02) Navigating the decision between the franchise model vs owned and operated (18:30) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (24:23) Robotics in the restaurant industry (29:28) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (30:33) The details and benefits of the machines Sweetgreen has brought into its restaurants. (37:15) Restaurant difficulties with inflation, COVID and “sticker shock” (38:46) Delivery in the business today pre and post-pandemic (45:10) How Australia fits into the origin of sweetgreen (48:01) The best way to build a brand (52:28) The seed oil conversation (45:53) sweetgreen is positioned towards tailored menus. (1:01:12) The challenging topic of food options and availability across different socioeconomic groups. (1:05:58) The definition of healthy food * LINKS: Check out sweetgreen: https://www.sweetgreen.com/ Watch The Founder (2-16): https://www.amazon.com/Founder-Michael-Keaton/dp/B01MY7FSMF Watch our Business Breakdown of the film The Founder: https://youtu.be/kYqzEEFU_nw Watch The Bear: https://tv.apple.com/ca/show/the-bear/umc.cmc.javg04xbn3eonbgfvnaqmodk Check out Unreasonable Hospitality: https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/ Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Jonathan: X: https://twitter.com/JonnyNemo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-neman-9a28aa8/ * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (10:05) Wistia -  Try Wistia for free at http://www.wistia.com/startups (18:30) CLA - Get started with CLA's CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors now at https://claconnect.com/tech (29:28) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Mantle. The AI-powered equity management platform designed for modern founders and operators. Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist MEV. Tired of the dev shop rollercoaster? Mev is your reliable technical partner, offering a well-established software development process designed to consistently deliver unparalleled value to their clients. Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist! * Todays show: Lon Harris joins Jason Calacanis to discuss concepts in business, drawing parallels from Moneyball. The two dive into the significance of embracing paradigm shifts (15:38),first-principle thinking (27:16), Billy’s 'Adapt or Die' philosophy (48:54), and the turning point for the A's (1:11:20). * Timestamps: (0:00) Lon Harris joins Jason (7:35) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST (8:53) Moneyball cast breakdown (15:38) Paradigm shifts in Moneyball: Comparing the Oakland A's situation to startups vs. incumbents (21:19) Paradigm shifts in Moneyball: Making data-driven decisions (26:24) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (27:16) The important concept of "First-Principle Thinking” (35:03) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist (36:34) Globalization's impact on startup opportunities and the importance of a unified team vision (48:54) Billy's philosophy: Adapt or Die! (59:20) The "burn the boats" moment and the importance of commitment in business (1:11:20) The turning point for the A's and their historic winning streak * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Lon: X: https://twitter.com/Lons * Thank you to our partners: (7:35) Mantle - Get your first 12 months free at https://withmantle.com/TWIST (26:24) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (35:03) MEV - Get $30,000 off your first three months at http://mev.com/twist * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… NetSuite. Once your business gets to a certain size the cracks start to emerge.  Things you used to do in a day take a week. You deserve a customized solution - and that's NetSuite. Learn more when you download NetSuite’s popular KPI Checklist - absolutely free, at http://www.NetSuite.com/twist Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ to get a 60% discount on your next LLC. Imagine AI LIVE is an AI conference where you'll learn how to apply AI in YOUR business directly from the people who build and use these tools. It's taking place March 27th and 28th in Las Vegas, and TWiST listeners can get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist * Todays show: Jason joins Palantir's Shyam Sankar to discuss how the US has avoided another terrorist attack since 9/11 (7:59), the role of AI and robotics in the battlefield (22:34), the future of defense tech (53:48), and more! * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason joins Shyam Sankar of Palantir. (3:04) - Silcon valley’s shift in perception around defense tech and Palantir. (5:09) - Palentir being born out of 9/11 and the realization of the countries vulnerabilities. (7:59) How the US has managed to avoid another terrorist attack and what role Palantir's products played. (9:33) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at http://www.NetSuite.com/twist (10:48) One major failure regarding 9/11 attack. (11:55) The Gotham Platform: Palantir's first product and how it borrowed from PayPal. (18:12) The most valuable role software could play in defense tech. (18:57) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ (19:52) How defense tech data collection has changed over the years. (22:34) The role of AI and robotics play in the battlefield. (29:22) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist (30:38) The autopilot approach of LLMs at Palantir and the analogy of self-driving cars. (33:28) Palantir's huge early wins with AI integration. (38:01) The defense potential of LLMs and real time interpretation in the field. (39:51) The importance of RF in the modern battlefield. (45:32) Discussing Putin’s serious threat. (48:54) How the defense industrial base was managed and consolidated after WWII (53:48) The future of defense tech, the speed of innovation and enemy adaptation. * Check out Palantir Technologies: https://www.palantir.com/ * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Shyam: X: https://twitter.com/ssankar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyamsankar/ * Thank you to our partners: (9:33) NetSuite - Download your free KPI Checklist at  http://www.NetSuite.com/twist (18:57) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ (29:22) Imagine AI LIVE - Get 20% off tickets at http://www.imagineai.live/twist * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at http://www.openphone.com/twist Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you’re ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Coda. A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit! * Todays show: David Weisburd hosts Erik, Guy, and Jason Calacanis to discuss Sequoia & Union Square Ventures' returns (1:15), AI's impact on startups and labor (17:35), US startups' risk tolerance (38:10), and much more! * Timestamps: (0:00) David Weisburd intros Erik Torenberg, Guy Perelmuter, and Jason Calacanis (1:15) VC returns have been leaked, including returns from Sequoia Capital and Union Square Ventures (11:33) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at http://www.openphone.com/twist (17:35) Bearish signs for the startup employment market (25:17) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/twist (26:12) The emergence of the first one-person unicorn (36:46) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist (38:10) Founders & investors are now returning to San Francisco (47:35) Rapid-fire segment on recent investments * Mentioned on the show: https://www.wsj.com/tech/san-francisco-ai-boom-silicon-valley-307816b2 https://jam.dev https://www.perplexity.ai https://www.antaresindustries.com https://mesodyne.com https://limacharlie.io https://www.cloudnc.com https://codemate.ai https://www.golfgolf.tech https://www.terrakaffe.com * Follow Erik: X: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eriktorenberg/ Check out: https://www.turpentine.co/ * Follow Guy: X: https://twitter.com/guyperelmuter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guyperelmuter Check out: https://www.gridscapital.com/ * Follow David: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/DWeisburd⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd⁠ Check out: ⁠https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jason⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co * Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025Northwest Registered Agent. When starting your business, it's important to use a service that will actually help you. Northwest Registered Agent is that service. They'll form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and even provide you with mail scanning and a business address to keep your personal privacy intact. Visit - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠ to get a 60% discount on your next LLC.Uizard. Struggling to transform innovative ideas into concrete product designs? Uizard can help you turn your visions into polished UI designs in a fraction of the time, while enhancing collaboration across your entire team. Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://www.uizard.io/twist*Todays show:Jason joins David Clark of VenCap to discuss what distinguishes longevity and success in VC (5:25), the importance of strategy and timing when selling (25:47), preparing with founders for when things may go south (48:43), and more!*Timestamps:(0:00) David Clark joins Jason.(2:41) Looking at the data behind VenCap’s approach to alpha vs beta, managers and their over 500 investments to date.(5:25) What distinguishes longevity and success in VC.(9:15) Analyzing the data from David's chart covering 12,000 companies and the power law.(10:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist(12:43) Portfolio strategy and finding that 1% of fund returners.(18:59) The value of investing in a company over a longer period of time.(21:23) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠(22:17) The challenges VenCap faces when looking at seed managers.(25:47) The importance of strategy and timing on selling.(29:18 ) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://www.uizard.io/twist(33:05) Managing successful GPs and having them ‘stay in the game’.(41:49) The misunderstandings of the J-Curve.(48:43) Preparing with founders for when things may go south.(58:36) Founder Fridays message from Jason.*LINKS:Check out VenCap: https://www.vencap.com/Watch the Brian Singerman episode here: https://youtu.be/o5Z0-d5w18MWatch the Michael Kim episode here: https://youtu.be/a2FL_FvwoUACheck out Founder Fridays: http://thisweekinstartups.com/meetups*Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow David:X: https://twitter.com/daveclark85LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clark-6678b6b/?originalSubdomain=uk*Follow Jason:X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jason⁠LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis*Thank you to our partners:(10:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025(21:23) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - ⁠https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist⁠(29:18 ) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://www.uizard.io/twist*Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland*Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis*Follow TWiST:Substack: https://twistartups.substack.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartupsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartupsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups*Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

This Week in Startups is brought to you by… Lemon.io - Hire pre-vetted remote developers, get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist Vanta. Compliance and security shouldn't be a deal-breaker for startups to win new business. Vanta makes it easy for companies to get a SOC 2 report fast. TWiST listeners can get $1,000 off for a limited time at http://www.vanta.com/twist LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups * Todays show: Jason kicks off Ask Jason live! Six live guests ask questions on key topics like career paths in fintech (1:14), startup challenges (8:48), pivoting strategies (34:23), fundraising (46:54), and customer engagement strategies (52:30). * Timestamps: (0:00) Jason kicks off another Ask Jason! (1:14) Tommy asks about getting a degree in fintech in order to join startups (7:44) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (8:48) Sam asks about common mistakes for first time founders (16:40) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (17:32) Clint asks about startups surviving the period before VC investments (33:12) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups (34:23) Daniel asks about startups pivoting in the wrong direction (46:54) Greg asks about raising funds before product-market fit (52:30) Oliver wants to know if it is better to go deep with a few customers or gain entry to multiple customers with a more lightweight solution * Apply to the LAUNCH Accelerator here: https://launchaccelerator.co/ Just getting started? Apply to Founder.University Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Follow Jason: X: ⁠https://twitter.com/jason⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jason⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (7:44) Lemon.io - Get 15% off your first 4 weeks of developer time at https://Lemon.io/twist (16:40) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist (33:12) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast